Beach chair



June 19, 1934. w AR 1,963,708

BEACH CHAIR Filed Sept. 8, 1932 v 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 19, 1934 s. w. MARVIN 1,963,708

BEACH CHAIR Filed Sept. 8, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 s w cf 3 Patented June 19, 1934- UNITED STATES- PATENT} OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to an improved beach chair particularly designed for use at bathing beaches, pleasure resorts, and the like.

The invention seeks, among other objects, to

5 provide a chair which will be light in weight so that it may be readily carried about, which will be reasonably durable, and which will be comfortable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a chair wherein the back section may be adjustably fixed relative to the seat section of the chair to suit the desires of the user and wherein legs will be provided for adjustably sustaining, the chair in rearwardly tilted position for further enhancing the comfort thereof.

And the invention seeks, as a still further object, to provide a chair which may be compactly folded.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the chair,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the seat section of the chair, showing the legs folded,

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view showing one of the anchoring bolts and side strap,

Figure 5 is an edgeelevation showing the chair folded, parts being broken away and illustrated in section,

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a modified form of chair,

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view through the chair of Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the seat section of the modified form of chair showing the legs folded,

Figure 9 is an edge elevation showing the modified form of chair folded, and

Figure 10 is a fragmentary edge elevation showing, in dotted lines, the manner in which the modified form of chair is opened.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings, it will be seen that my improved chair includes a substantially square seat composed of a rectangular frame of wood or other suitable material. Fixed to the outer edge of the back rail of the seat section and to the outer edge of the bottom rail of the back section are spaced hinges l2 swingingly connecting the sections so that, as shown in Figure 5, the sections may be folded in overlapping parallel relation when the hinges will serve to space the sections apart and prevent binding therebetween.

Extending through the side rails of the seat secsection 10 and an oblong back section 11 each tion 10, near their forward ends, are bolts 13 carrying washers 14 abutting opposite faces of the side rails, the nuts of said bolts being countersunk, andextending through the side rails of the back section 11, near their upper'en'ds, are like bolts 15 carrying washers 16. All of these bolts are provided with eyes 17 through which are piv oted links 18, and extending between said links is a pair of flexible side members 19 which may be straps of canvas, leather, or other suitable material. These straps carry buckles 20, or other approved means, whereby the effective length of the straps may be adjusted. Thus, as will be seen, the straps connect the free end portions of the seat and back sections with each other and may be adjusted for varying the angle of the back section with respect to the seat section to suit the comfort of the user.

Closing the opening of the frame of the seat section 10 is a seat panel 2l which may be of- 15 canvas, or other approved material. The margins of the panel, as seen in Figure 4; are turned down within the frame and overlying said margins are cleats 22 secured to the rails of the frame by screws, or other fastening devices 23'. so The opening of the frame of the back section ll is closed by a like back panel 24 which is also preferably of canvas and overlying the margins of said back panel are cleats 25'secured to the inner edges of the rail of the frame by screws, or other like devices 26. Thus by removing the cleats 22 and 25 the panels may be readily renewed when occasion demands. Appropriately secured to the front rail of the seat section 10 is a leg cushion 27 preferably having a waterproof covering 28 and, as seen in Figure 2, this cushion is rounded or reduced in thickness toward its forward edge so as to enhance the comfort-of. the cushion. Appropriately secured to the top rail of the back section 11 is a head rest or cushion 29 which is also preferably provided with a waterproof covering 30.

Swingingly connected to the front rail of the seat section 10 is a pair of legs 31 connected to each other by a dowel 32'. Hinges 33 are attached to the front edges of the legs, at their upper ends, and to the bottom face of the front rail of the frame for swingingly connecting the legs with the frame so that, as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5, the legs may be folded rearwardly 5 to lie within the lines of the frame. In the present instance, -I have shown the legs equipped with spring pressed bolts 34 which are engageable in keepers 35 for releasably holding the legs in'folded position, but any :other approved 11o means may be provided for accomplishing this end.

In use, the back section 11 is swung up to be supported in rearwardly tilted position by the straps 19. The rear end of the seat section 10, is then placed upon the ground or beach when the chair is ready for occupancy. If so desired; the legs 31 may then be swung downwardly and forwardly and by leaningback in the chair and then pushing on the .beach or ground with the feet the chair, as a whole, may be easily tilted backwards to the desired angle when the legs may be positioned at the correct angle with respect to the seat section 10 for supporting the chair in rearwardly tilted position. As shown in the drawings the position of the legs is such that the occupant of the chair, having tilted it to the desired angle simply by leaning back, may easily manipulate the legs with his hands to the desired position. The provision of the legs 31 will greatly enhance the comfort and desirability of the chair and. as will be seen, these legs provide a means for adjustably sustaining the chair in different angular positions when tilted rearwardly. Preferably, a single pair of legs or, if desired, only a single leg is provided at the front end portion of the seat section 10, leaving the rear end portion ofsaid section free and unobstructed to rest directly upon the sand.

The rear rail of the seat section 10 will thus present a broad surface to the sand, and as the chair will pivot mainly upon said'rail when tilted rearwardly the rear end of the seat section 10 will be prevented from unduly sinking into the sand as would otherwise be the case were legs provided at this .end of said seat section. When not in use, the back section 11 is folded forwardly, as illustrated in Figure5, when the straps 19 are disposed between the sections 10 and 11 of the chair so that the chair will provide a compact object which may be readily carried.

As shown in the drawings, the straps 19, in the preferred embodiment, extend from the upper side portions of the back section 11, below the head-rest 29, and at about arm-pit to shoulder height, to the forward side portions of the seat section 10, respectively, at about wrist to hand position of an occupant of the chair and thus are positioned to support the arms between the shoulders and the elbow, and/ or at the elbow, and/or between the elbow and the hands, depending on the position of the occupant, thus constituting these straps as comfortable, flexible arm-rests. In the preferred form shown the straps are arranged flat side up to further enhance their comfort by presenting the fiat faces thereof to the arms rather than the thin edges thereof.

In Figures 6 to 10, inclusive, of the drawings, I have illustrated a modified form of the invention wherein I employ a seat section 36, and a back section 3'7 connected to the seat section by hinges 38, while to the seat section are hingedly connected legs 39, all of these parts being identical in construction with like parts of the preferred form of the invention. Instead of separate seat and back panels, however, as in the preferred construction, I employ a strip of canvas 40, or the like, which is tacked, or otherwise secured, to the frames of both sections and serves to provide a seat panel for the section 36 and a back panel for the section 3'1. Suitably secured to the back section, at its upper end, is a head rest, or cushion 41, similar to the cushion 29.

Adjustably connecting the free end portions of the sections 36 and 37 is a pair of side members 42 which, in this instance, are rigid. Formed in the side members, at their forward end portions, are relatively short slots 43 and extending through the side rails of the seat section 36 are bolts 44 extending freely through said slots and receiving wing nuts 45. Formed in the side members 42, throughout the major portion of their length, are relatively long slots 46 and extending through the side rails of the back section 37 are bolts 47 like the bolts 44, and equipped with wing nuts 48.

As particularly shown in Figure 6, the side members 42 normally support the back section 3'7 in angular relation to the seat section 36 while, by loosening the wing nuts 45 and 48, the angle of the back section may be readily varied to suit the comfort of the user. To fold the chair all of the wing nuts are loosened when the back section 3'? is swung forwardly into parallel relation with the seat section 36. Asthe back section is thus swung, the bolts 44 will travel forwardly in the slots 46 in the side members 42 while the side members themselves will be shifted forwardly, as shown in Figure 9, until the bolts 44 rest in the rear ends of the slots 43. By tightening the wing nuts the chair will then be secured in folded position. To open the chair, the side members 42 are first shifted rearwardly, as shownin Figure 10, until the bolts 44 rest in the front ends of the slots 43. The back section 3'7 may then be freely swung upwardly away from the seat section to the desired position when, by again tightening the wing nuts 45 and 48, the parts will be rigidly secured in angular position. Otherwise, this modified form of the invention is identical with the preferred construction and further description is accordingly believed unnecessary.

What is claimed is:

1. A beach chair including swingingly connected seat and back sections, means connected to the sections for sustaining said sections in angular relation to each other, the seat section including a frame having side rails and adapted to rest, at its rear end, directly upon the ground, said ground-contacting rear endof the seat section lying adjacent the plane of the back section, said chair thus formed being bodily tiltable about the ground contacting area substantially at the juncture of the seat and back sections, and legs swingingly connected to the forward end portion of,

said frame for supporting the seat section in rearwardly tilted position, the legs being foldably mounted between said side rails to lie within the plane of the frame of the seat section.

2. A beach chair including a seat section, a back section swingingly connected thereto and foldable to overlie the seat section, a single rigid side member extending between the sections at each side of the chair for sustaining the sections in angular relation, and means carried by each of the sections and connecting the side members therewith, the side members being each provided with parallel slots, the irmer end of each slot extending beyond the inner end of the other slot, said slots accommodating movement of said connecting means relative to the side members whereby the back section may be folded to overlie the seat section.

3. A beach chair including a seat section, a back section swing'ingly connected thereto and foldable to overlie the seat section, the seat section including a frame having side rails and adapted to rest at its rear end directly upon the ground, legs swingingly connected to the forward tween the sections at each side of the chair, said side members being formed near their lower ends with relatively short slots, fastening devices carried by the seat section and accommodated in said slots, the side members being provided throughout the major portion of their length with relatively long slots, the lower ends of which extend beyond the upper ends of the short slots, and fastening devices carried by the back section and accommodated in the long slots of said members, said fastening devices being movable in said slots longitudinally thereof whereby the back section may be swung to overlie the seat section.

4. A chair of the class described, comprising swingingly connected seat and back sections and means for sustaining them in angular relation to each other, said chair formed to rest on the ground adjacent the line of connection of said seat and back sections and be bodily tiltable by the occupant, about the ground-contacting locus adjacent the line of connection of the seat and back sections, simply by his leaning back against the back section, said seat section being provided with foldable legs at its forward part convenient to thehands of the occupant, movable to and from a position supporting the chair in rearwardly tilted position, whereby said chair may easily be tilted rearwardly and returned forwardly by an occupant seated therein.

5. A chair of .the class described, comprising swingingly connected seat and back sections and means for sustaining them in angular relation to each other, said chair formed to rest on the ground adjacent the line of connection of said seat and back sections and be bodily tiltable by the occupant, about the ground-contacting locus adjacent the line of connection of the seat and back sections, simply by his leaning back against the back section, said seat section being provided with foldable legs at its forward part convenient to the hands of the occupant, movable to and from a position supporting the chair in rearwardly tilted position, whereby said chair may easily be tilted rearwardly and returned forwardly by the occupant seated therein, and said means for sustaining said seat and back sections in angular relation to each other comprising side straps connecting the upperside-portions of the back section with the forward side portions of the seat section, respectively, and positioned to constitute comfortable arm rests for the occupant. 

